Two brothers, Isaac and Victor Olayere, who were abducted along the Adughe–Imoga Road on November 8, have regained their freedom after reportedly escaping from their captors in the forest.
The report gathered on Monday revealed that the victims, kidnapped in Uma/Imoga, Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, were taken deep into the bush shortly after their abduction, as their kidnappers demanded a ₦22 million ransom.
According to sources, the family was still struggling to raise the ransom when the brothers called their father using an unknown number, informing him that they had escaped from the kidnappers’ den.
Confirming the development, the Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, Oba Patrick Obajoye, told PUNCH Metro in a telephone interview that the incident threw the ancient community into panic.
He said, “The two brothers were kidnapped on November 8 along the Adughe–Imoga Road and were taken into the bush. Later, the kidnappers reached out to the family and demanded a ransom of ₦22m, throwing the ancient community of Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo Local Government Area, Edo State, into confusion. I swiftly reported the incident to the Ibillo Police Station with the hope that the rescue effort would lead to the release of the brothers.”
Giving more details, the monarch revealed how the victims escaped.
According to him, **“It was said that somehow, the kidnappers suddenly went into a deep slumber in the forest, enabling their victims to escape. They were found by the vigilante of Adughe, a neighbouring community in Kogi that speaks the same Okpameri language as Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo.
“The vigilantes called Imoga people, and the youth mobilised and entered the forest, but they could not see the kidnappers who had woken up after their captives had escaped and fled.”**
Obajoye lamented the growing cases of kidnapping and the activities of armed herders in the area, urging government intervention to improve security.
He said, “We need police presence in Imoga. If a police post is created here, the officers will patrol the community, which will give the residents rest of mind. Imoga is the largest village in Akoko Edo, particularly in terms of land mass, into which many herders have entered en masse. It is the link between Edo State and the northern part of the country.”
It is recalled that since Governor Monday Okpebholo assumed office on November 12, 2024, he has embarked on road rehabilitation, property recovery, education reform, and gender inclusion efforts. However, kidnapping remains a major security challenge in Edo State despite the provision of patrol vehicles, motorcycles, and logistics to security agencies.
The crisis reached a peak on March 28, 2025, when a mob in Uromi, Edo Central, lynched seven travellers suspected of being kidnappers after firearms were discovered in their truck.
The persistence of kidnapping incidents has continued to raise safety concerns among residents, particularly in border towns like Imoga that connect Edo to Ondo and Kogi States.
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